Spinach that have been produced at the Naledi Farm as a result of its second harvest
To raise awareness for International Day of Cooperatives, Tsebo Solutions Group, Earthrise Trust, the Naledi Farmers Cooperative and community members from the Naledi Village hosted an event to celebrate the 2nd Harvest Ceremony at Rustlers Valley Farm, as well as the UN International Day of Cooperatives that took place on Saturday, the 7th of July. The event was hosted in the Ficksburg district, Eastern Free State.
In August 2013, Earthrise Trust bought the Rustlers Valley Farm due to the vision outlined by trustees to use the land to develop an integrated community-based partnership approach to building sustainable rural communities, as well as a commitment to transfer a portion of the land over to the residents of Naledi Village, thus forming an impactful partnership.
Tsebo Solutions Group partnered with Earthrise Trust and members of the Naledi Farmers’ Cooperative to promote social entrepreneurship, eradicate poverty, increase food security and encourage skills development through its visionary approach to community upliftment.
Tsebo Solutions Group committed its support to the project by erecting ten multi-span tunnels, allowing members of the Naledi Village Cooperative to safeguard their crops and ensure that they thrive in a controlled environment while being protected from threats such as black frost and adverse weather conditions. The quality and the quantity of the yield produced was greatly improved when compared to previous harvests.
Tsebo Solutions Group has shared its expertise in food with the Naledi Cooperative and availed valuable resources to the value of over R1 million to support sustainable farming that all community members can benefit from. Tsebo Solutions Group’s experience in large contract catering and robust food security implementations over the past 47 years has enabled it to transfer skills to communities such as that of the Naledi Farmers’ Cooperative.
“We have partnered directly with the Naledi Farmers’ Cooperative and Earthrise Trust because this is an initiative we strongly believe in and thus, we are supporting them to create a sustainable community through our passion for food security and community upliftment. The initiative encourages social entrepreneurship and development and we are proud to be a partner,” explained Clive Smith, Group CEO of Tsebo Solutions Group.
Jay Naidoo, board member of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and trustee and partner for the Earthrise Trust said, “This innovative partnership between the Naledi Village Co-op, Earthrise Trust and other funders such as Tsebo Solutions Group creates pathways of hope and opportunity for rural villages to address hunger, livelihoods and land reform simultaneously. This partnership creates new ways to find solutions and work together to further develop our beautiful country. Congratulations to all for the magnificent celebration of the Naledi Village Harvest Ceremony.”
About Tsebo Solutions Group:
Tsebo Solutions Group is a responsible, ethical organisation that cares about its stakeholders: staff, customers, clients, communities, shareholders and the environment. Tsebo Solutions Group believes we have an active role to play in improving the lives of its stakeholders today, and their opportunities for success in the future.
About Earthrise Trust:
Earthrise Trust is dedicated to creating a foundation for transformative initiatives that promotes new ways of thinking and action by highlighting the indivisibility between environmental protection and human development in the transition towards a just, sustainable and peaceful world.
Rustlers Valley Farm:
Rustlers Valley Farm is situated 23 kilometers from Ficksburg in the Eastern Free State, nestled in the scenic Mautse, a part of the Maluti Mountains on the Lesotho side of the Great Drakensburg Mountain Range. A portion of the land is occupied by the residents of Naledi, who for several decades worked on the farm and provided their families with a primary source of income.
